The Book of Warriors One-Shots
by Mossyheart
Summary: Random long one-shots


**Hello, peoples! Welcome to another random thing authored me, Mossyheart!**

**This chapter contains spoilers for Tigerheart's Shadow**

**Allegiances and other characters generated by Silverpelt Name Generator**

**Now, for the first One-Shot, Rowantail of BrambleClan!**

BrambleClan

Leader Driftstar- dark brown tabby she-cat

Deputy Stoattail- tan tom with a white underbelly

_Apprentice, Lightningpaw_

Medicine Cat Mousetail- cream she-cat with black ears, nose, and paws

Warriors

Finchwing- sleek black tom with golden paws and white belly

_Apprentice, Flypaw_

Duskspots- red-brown tabby tom with a thick mane of fur around his neck

Badgerfang- black tom with a white stripe down his face, back and tail

_Apprentice, Marigoldpaw_

Hawkfeather- dark tabby she-cat

Mistywhisper- soft-spoken beautiful blue-gray she-cat

Nettleclaw- dark gray-green tom

Apprentices

Lightningpaw- white she-cat with a golden face and paws

Flypaw- thick-furred orange-and-white tom

Marigoldpaw- yellow tom with green eyes

Queens

Rowantail- tortoiseshell she-cat with golden eyes and white paws and chest (Mother of Duskspots' kits, Flamekit, red she-cat, Mintkit, white she-cat with black paws, ears, back, tail, and nose, Sweetkit, golden-brown she-cat, Dustkit, tan-cream she-cat with a white face, Fallenkit, dark tabby she-cat with snow-white paws, Shadekit, black-and-silver tabby she-cat with golden eyes, Petalkit, white she-cat with tawny splotches, and Brindlekit, tawny-tortoiseshell-and-white tom.)

Frostmist- gray she-cat with white paws and face (Mother of Stoattail's kit, Nightkit, black-and-gray tabby she-cat with white paws.)

Elders

Sandybreeze- sand-colored tom

**There! Allegiances done! Now, on to Rowantail's story itself!**

"Duskspots? Duskspots!" Rowantail called. A soft, thick mist intertwined her paws, tripping the young queen as she yowled for her mate. The dark shadows closed in on her, tightening their ghostly paws around her, whispering faintly.

"Join us, Rowantail…"

"We want to meet you…"

Dark red eyes flashed around Rowantail; caterwauling in terror, Rowantail tried to rip her paws from theirs. The grip of fear seemed to weaken Rowantail, while the eerie spirits fed on it; their eyes glowed brighter, their paws grew stronger.

"Come with us…..."

A paw slammed down on her tail, jerking her into wakefulness as the voices still whispered in her ears. "Join us, Rowantail…Come with us…"

"Oops! Sorry Rowantail." A frosty paw rose off her tail; in the shadowy dawn light, Rowantail could just make out her sole denmate's white face. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Rowantail got to her paws and stretched, yawning as a beam of golden light lit her face. Her golden eyes were illuminated by the sun's rays, as were the patches of golden fur spread over her face. "It's fine, Frostmist, I needed to get up anyway."

Frostmist looked at her awkwardly. "You-er, kept yelling for Duskspots."

"Did I?" Rowantail glanced at her friend, confusion etched in her face. "Just a dream, probably. Hungry? Let's see if the dawn patrol brought back some prey, shall we?"

Rowantail curled around eight small tufts of fur, who mewled quietly at her. Mousetail slid into the den, raspberry, parsley, and a ball of wet moss in her jaws. She spat them out on the ground. "Am I too late?"

Rowantail purred at her creamy-furred sister. "You're right on time."

Mousetail's gaze melted with love. She brushed her muzzle against her sister's. "They're perfect."

The fronds of ferns at the nursery entrance rustled. A powerful tom forced his way into the nursery. "Rowantail! Are you okay?"

His bright blue gaze met his mate's golden ones. A deep purr rumbled in his throat.

"What are their names?" Mousetail asked.

"How about Shadekit for her?" Duskspots' red paw brushed the silver tabby fur of one she-kit.

"Perfect! He'll be Brindlekit."

"Flamekit for the little red kit."

"Wonderful! Petalkit, for her white pelt."

"Mousetail? Will you name one?" Rowantail's littermate stood quietly.

Her tail flicked over a little golden pelt. "Sweetkit, for-" Her breath caught in her throat. _Sweetstep._ The beautiful tawny queen, Mousetail and Rowantail's sister, had died while defending Mistywhisper and her unborn kits eleven moons ago from a small, tan dog.

"She _must_ be remembered. She'll live on, in Sweetkit." A moment of grief passed through them. A white-and-black kit mewled, pushing his muzzle under Rowantail's paw. "How about Mintkit?"

"And Dustkit, for her sister."

"Fallenkit." Rowantail decided, after a long-ago founding member of BrambleClan, Fallencloud, Brambleberry's sister.

"Oh, Rowantail, they're beautiful." A dark tabby she-cat, lithe yet strong, followed her brother to meet the new kits. "What are their names?"

"Shadekit, Brindlekit, Flamekit, Petalkit, Sweetkit, Mintkit, Dustkit, and Fallenkit." Rowantail's mew grew heavy with sleepiness.

"Shadekit, Brindlekit, Flamekit, Petalkit, Sweetkit, Mintkit, Dustkit, and Fallenkit," Driftstar whispered. "Welcome to BrambleClan. Your new home."

"Shadekit, Dustkit, get out of the warriors' den! Sweetkit, Flamekit, get back here _this minute_! Stop bothering Driftstar! _Brindlekit_! You and Petalkit and Mintkit need to stop playing with that mouse! You're supposed to _eat_ it, not _play with it_! Fallenkit! Where's Fallenkit?"

"Here, Rowantail. He and Nightkit were playing moss ball." Frostmist licked her daughter on the head.

"Thanks, Frostmist."

"You're welcome."

"Shadekit, Brindlekit, Flamekit, Petalkit, Sweetkit, Mintkit, Dustkit, and Fallenkit," Driftstar called. "Step forward."

"Shadekit, Brindlekit, Flamekit, Petalkit, Sweetkit, Mintkit, Dustkit, and Fallenkit have reached their sixth moon, and so shall begin training in the ways of BrambleClan warriors."

"Shadekit, from this moment on you will be known as Shadepaw. Hawkfeather shall be your mentor." Shadepaw touched noses with her mentor.

Driftstar repeated the ceremony, giving Brindlepaw Finchwing, Flamepaw Lightningblaze, Petalpaw Badgerfang, Sweetpaw Marigoldleaf, Mintpaw Flywing, Dustpaw Nettleclaw, and Fallenpaw Mistywhisper as their mentors.

"Shadepaw! Brindlepaw! Flamepaw! Petalpaw! Sweetpaw! Mintpaw! Dustpaw! Fallenpaw! Shadepaw! Brindlepaw! Flamepaw! Petalpaw! Sweetpaw! Mintpaw! Dustpaw! Fallenpaw!"

Rowantail glowed with pride, yowling joyfully to the heavens. "Shadepaw! Brindlepaw! Flamepaw! Petalpaw! Sweetpaw! Mintpaw! Dustpaw! Fallenpaw!"

"Hawkfeather, Finchwing, Lightningblaze, Badgerfang, Marigoldleaf, Flywing, Nettleclaw, Mistywhisper. Have your apprentices, Shadepaw, Brindlepaw, Flamepaw, Petalpaw, Sweetpaw, Mintpaw, Dustpaw, and Fallenpaw, earned the rank of warrior?"

The warriors nodded

"I, Driftstar, leader of BrambleClan, call upon my ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Shadepaw, Brindlepaw, Flamepaw, Petalpaw, Sweetpaw, Mintpaw, Dustpaw, and Fallenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," coursed the eight apprentices.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Shadepaw, Brindlepaw, Flamepaw, Petalpaw, Sweetpaw, Mintpaw, Dustpaw, and Fallenpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Shademist, Brindleface, Flameheart, Petallight, Sweetbriar, Minttail, Dustfall, and Fallenleaf. StarClan honors you, and we welcome you as full warriors of Bramble-"

A snarl and then a howl ripped through the camp as dogs, countless, numerous dogs, tore through the barrier encircling the camp. They snatched up many of BrambleClan's warriors, killing some instantly as others bled out; while still others were hurled against trees, and more still were trampled by giant paws. Rowantail watched, horrorstruck, frozen, up a tree as her mate, then her kits, were killed. She fled as her last surviving kit, Fallenleaf, was hurled into the air, then snapped up by bloody, merciless jaws.

On and on Rowantail ran but howls and thundering pawsteps told her the dogs were pursing. Her paws skidded over wet leaves. _Curse last night's rain!_ She stumbled over a hidden root, her paws flailing wildly as her head smacked on a branch. Stars exploded in her vision. She saw, or _thought_ she saw, cats dropping from trees, fences, rocks, anything high onto the dogs. A dark tabby dropped beside her, white paws gleaming in the sunlight. "F-Fallenleaf?"

The tabby tried to still the flow of blood from the back of Rowantail's head. Her white fur stained red, she called out. "Cloud! I need help over here!" A creamy she-cat flicked her claws across a dog's muzzle, sending it reeling. She leaped to the tabby's side.

"Where do I put my paws?"

"Under her head, she's bleeding badly."

"F-Fallenleaf? D-Dustfall?"

Then it all went dark.

Rowantail opened her eyes. A dark gloom met her eyes, darker than the forest had ever been. _Where am I?_

"Duskspots? Duskspots!" Rowantail called desperately for her mate.

"Shh, shh, just calm down." A golden tabby with white swirls in her fur leaned cautiously over Rowantail; then she turned to a creamy she-cat. "Cloud? Get Night."

The cream cat nodded, she turned around and slid out of sight.

"S-Sweetstep?" Rowantail tried to push herself to her paws. "Am I…Is this…StarClan?"

"StarClan? What's StarClan?" The dark tabby with white paws slipped out of the shadows.

"Fallenleaf! Where are we?"

Sweetheart and Fallenleaf exchanged a bemused glance. "Who's Fallenleaf?"

Rowantail looked at the two cats carefully. "You aren't Sweetstep! And you aren't Fallenleaf!"

"You're right, we're not. So, tell us, who are you, and what do you mean? StarClan? Sweetstep? Fallenleaf?"

"I'm Rowantail of BrambleClan. Sweetheart is my sister. Fallenleaf is my daughter." A lump rose in her throat as she remembered the dogs. "Sweetstep was kill by a dog eleven moons ago, defending a Clanmate, Mistywhisper. Fallenleaf and her littermates-as well as everyone else- where killed when dogs rampaged through our camp. I barely made it out alive."

"They're all in StarClan now. Everyone. Duskspots, Driftstar, Frostmist, Dustfall, Brindleface, Shademist, _everyone_."

"I'm Night, and this is Mist. We're guardians."

"'Guardians' as in…what?"

"We're healers. Or, some of us are, anyway. Some fight, some hunt. We help sick or hurt cats. Like you."

"So, you're a Clan of medicine cats, like Mousetail."

"Medicine cats? Mousetail?"

"Mousetail's my sister. She's a healer, like you."

Night nodded understandingly. Mist still looked confused. A cream-colored she-cat walked towards them.

"Cloud, this is our newest patient, Rowantail of-" Night looked at Rowantail. "What was it?"

"BrambleClan."

"Rowantail of BrambleClan. She was attacked by dogs. A whole pack."

Cloud shuddered. "It's a wonder she survived."

"BrambleClan wasn't so lucky. Everyone- and I mean _everyone_\- was killed. Even my kits."

"Oh, Rowantail, that's awful! A whole litter!"

"They weren't kits anymore. They were warriors, Shademist, Brindleface, Flameheart, Petallight, Sweetbriar, Minttail, Dustfall, and Fallenleaf. But to me they were still _my_ kits," Rowantail murmured. "Now I'll never see them again until StarClan." She laid her head on her paws, hoping they took the hint that she was done talking about it. Night, Mist and Cloud looked at one another then walked away.

Over the next few moons Rowantail had begun to help the guardian cats, hunting for the sick or injured, even fetching leaves and herbs to assist the healers. She had watched sick and hurt cats come and go after they were healed or cured. She had _never_ seen a cat who the healers couldn't save. She'd seen cats with fatal wounds walk out of that den, illnesses that Rowantail had never seen but heard of, including redcough, blackcough, and even a disease that was _always_ fatal in BrambleClan, cured by a flower known as the "Blazing Star."

But that was soon to change.

Rowantail was searching for chamomile, a daisy-like plant that can help soothe a new cat who had been found, mud-plastered and terrified, in the Twolegplace garden the guardian cats gathered herbs from. She had, only slightly, thought she recognized her scent, but her fear-scent was too strong to get a clear sniff. Hopefully the chamomile would help.

_There_! A patch of chamomile , mixed with thyme, was right at the edge of the Thunderpath, drenched, Rowantail realized, in the cat's fear scent. _She must have laid here_, Rowantail thought. She gently snapped off a mouthful of the stems, turning back towards the Twoleg den, then realizing that thyme would probably help, too.

She stepped inside, her eyes adjusting to the gloom as she searched out Sage, a healer who was treating the she-cat. "Sage? I brought you chamomile and some thyme."

The young she-cat looked up. "Thyme? Thanks. Put it here. Maybe you can help me." She glanced at the she-cat. "She won't eat it. She sounds…scared."

Rowantail laid down the herbs, looking over at the she-cat. Her eyes widened and the chamomile and thyme fell at her paws.

"Rowantail? What's wrong?" Sage asked.

"That- that's Driftstar."

"Who?"

"BrambleClan's leader." She crept closer to her. "Driftstar?"

Driftstar looked up at her. "Rowantail?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Where _are_ we?"

"Don't worry, you're safe here. They're medicine cats." Sage looked bemused at this title, but she kept quiet. Rowantail was grateful.

"Driftstar, are you hurt?" The tom didn't answer. Rowantail looked to Sage. Sage nodded.

"She's got an infected wound on her throat, but she won't let me treat it."

"Driftstar?"

No response.

"Driftstar?"

Still nothing.

Sage looked at her. "She's dead."

Rowantail shook her head.

"Rowantail, s_he's dead_."

Still she shook her head, watching Driftstar.

The brown leader twitched. A moment later, she raised her head. There was no evidence of a wound on her throat.

Sage was backing away slowly. "You-you were _dead_!"

"Only for a moment. I have the nine lives of a leader." Driftstar stood up. "Only five remain."

Sage switched her stare to Rowantail, who didn't look surprised. "You _knew_?"

Rowantail nodded. "Of course." She looked at Driftstar. "Were there other survivors?"

"Yes. Duskspots fled, Mousetail wasn't in camp. Fallenleaf and her littermates fought off the dogs. Frostmist and Mistywhisper, too."

Rowantail felt weak with relief. Her family was_ alive_!

Moons after, Rowantail sunned herself beside Duskspots, sharing tongues as the sun slid the its peak. They were watching their new litter, Sunkit and Moonkit, chase each other around the stones. Fallenleaf and her mate, Whitetuft, a former guardian cat, sat beside the fresh-kill pile as they discussed hunting techniques. Mousetail and her apprentice, Hawkpaw, returned to camp laden with herbs. Brindleface's son did his father proud in the medicine cat's den, even sharing tongues with him in his dreams.

_The Clan has grown_, she thought happily. _In another few moons we'll outnumber the stars_.

With Driftstar expecting Nutwhisker's kits, Mistywhisper expecting Swiftsky's, and then Rowantail's litter, the nursery was cramped. But not for long. Sunkit and Moonkit would be apprentices any day, and Rowantail couldn't be happier. _Life is perfect_.

Rowantail was dreaming. Her fallen Clanmates walked beside her. Duskspots, Mistywhisper, Frostmist, Mousetail, Sweetheart, Shademist, Dustfall, Driftstar. They led her through a warm Greenleaf forest, a cool breeze ruffling her fur. The sun rose beautiful over a crystal lake in which Rowantail could see BrambleClan's camp. Then she realized where she was.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" Duskspots nodded. Rowantail rubbed her muzzle against his. "I missed you."

_Good-bye, BrambleClan,_ Rowantail thought as she walked amongst her fallen friends into her place in Silverpelt.


End file.
